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There are few sandwiches that are more popular for lunch than the traditional Reuben. This handheld is a hallmark of pub food, but as it uses few ingredients and only requires basic American cooking techniques, it can be made at home in a jiffy. Of course, there are also a number of ways to truly make your homemade Reuben stand out. Try making rye bread, Russian or thousand island dressing and sauerkraut from scratch to really develop the flavor profile.

As Groupon notes, a true Reuben has five essential ingredients: corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, rye bread and thousand island dressing. However, unless you’re an avid traditionalist, these ingredients can be tweaked slightly, such as opting for a different type of cheese, and still taste delicious. Enthusiasts will say that you lose the Reuben designation when you get creative with the ingredients, but a good grilled sandwich doesn’t need an official moniker to be enjoyed. Below is a Reuben sandwich recipe courtesy of Epicurious.com.

Reuben Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices rye bread or pumpernickel

2 teaspoons softened butter

2 tablespoons Russian dressing

1/4 cup well-drained, fresh-style sauerkraut

2 ounces thinly sliced Gruyère or Switzerland Swiss cheese

1/4 pound thinly sliced corned beef

Directions
Spread butter evenly over one side of each slice of bread, making sure to go all the way to the edges. In a cold skillet, put one of the slices buttered-side down. Build the sandwich in the skillet. On the dry side of the bread in the pan, spread one tablespoon of the Russian dressing. Add a layer of sauerkraut.

Layer cheese evenly on top of the sauerkraut, and then layer the corned beef over the cheese. On the remaining slice of bread, spread the other tablespoon of Russian dressing on the unbuttered side. Place the bread on top of the corned beef, dressing facing the meat.

Once the sandwich is constructed, grill it in the skillet over medium-low heat, occasionally pressing on it with a spatula. Allow the bread to toast and then use the spatula to turn the sandwich over and toast the other side.

After flipping the sandwich, add weight, such as a pan or plate, on top of the Reuben while the second piece of bread crisps. This will allow the rest of the ingredients to heat more evenly. Once the bread is browned, remove the plate and flip the sandwich once more to heat the other side.

Serve right away.

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